A Very Good Year

Jason and Mike return to your feed for a special occasion: today’s release of Jason’s new book “Gandolfini: Jim, Tony, and the Life of a Legend.” They discuss the book — its origins, aims, and outcomes — and Jason shares his own top five Jame Gandolfini performances. Plus: subject-appropriate riffs on headlines and the lightning round, and Mike spills on his favorite Gandolfini performance as well.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the first episode of our film-by-film rundown of Danny Peary’s beloved 1986 movie guide, we are joined by Vulture TV critic and longtime friend Roxana Hadadi, who explains her personal, familial connection to Francis Ford Coppola’s 1974 Oscar-winner, and joins in a spirited discussion of the picture’s virtues, flaws, and reputation.Subscribe to the new show at: https://pod.link/1274489817To watch us on YouTube go to: https://www.youtube.com/@dannypearyrocks Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello cult leaders and self-loathing playwrights and all the ships at sea and welcome to A Very Good Year. As you probably know by now we are retiring this show and coming back in 2025 with a whole new show, Guide for the Film Fanatic, this Sunday! The show is based on a film-by-film run through of Danny Peary's seminal 1986 book of the same name, where one of our fabulous guests picks a film and we dive in. In the meantime we're revisiting some of our favorite guests and favorite movies by decade. This week we're looking back at the 1990s, objectively a great decade for movies and a very formative one for many of our guests (and hosts).In this episode we've got Mac Welch, David Simms, Keith Phipps, John Early, Karen Han, Hunter Harris, Alissa Wilkinson, Roxana Hadadi, Daniel Waters, Kristen Meinzer, Siddhant Adlakha, Allison Herman, Abby Olcese, Noel Murray, and Emily St. James.Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello hunny bunnies and Presidential assassins and all the ships at sea and welcome to A Very Good Year. As you probably know by now we are retiring this show and coming back in 2025 with a whole new show. In the meantime we're revisiting some of our favorite guests and favorite movies by decade. This week we're looking back at the 1990s, objectively a great decade for movies and a very formative one for many of our guests (and hosts).Check out Kate Erbland, Joe Lynch, Brian Tallerico, Alonso Duralde, Kristy Puchko, Sam Adams, Nick de Semlyan, Karina Longworth, Bob Byington, Scott Wampler, Caden Mark Gardner, Sammi Cohen, Kristen Lopez, Sergio Muñoz, Tomris Laffly, Craig Lindsay, Esther Zuckerman, Drew McWeeny, and Brian Raftery.Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello alien dogs and Sta-Puft Marshmallow Men and all the ships at sea. By now everyone knows we're retiring A Very Good Year after more than 100 episodes and coming back with an all new show for 2025. In the meantime we're revisiting some of our favorite guests and favorite movies by decade.This week it's the 1980s, a stretch of time that is not commonly considered a golden age for Hollywood. We've got a lineup for this weeks episode that will dispute that take and they're coming with evidence in the form of some truly excellent cinema.In this episode we'll hear from April Wright, Josh Lewis, Chris Nashawaty, Jen Cheney, Richard Shepard, Matt Singer, W. Axel Foley, Ty Burr, Carrie Couragen, Bilge Elbiri, Jen Johans, Daniela Taplin-Lundberg, John Pierson, and Jacob Knight.Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello New Hollywood hippies and malaise monkeys and all the ships at sea and welcome to A Very Good Year. If you’ve been listening you know we’re retiring A Very Good Year and coming back with a whole new show for 2025.In the meantime we’re looking back at the past 100 episodes by revisiting some of our favorite guests and our favorite movies by decade. This episode is massive, but it’s the 1970s, arguably the greatest decade for film in the entire short life of the medium. The 70s years were always the first to go when we were booking guests for the show and they do not disappoint.In this episode we’ve got podcasting superhero Blake Howard, author Charles Bramesco, author Alexandra Heller-Nichols, production designer Judy Becker who is currently getting rave reviews for The Brutalist, filmmaker Zach Clark, writer Jason Diamond, podcaster Brian Saur, writer/director Isabel Sandoval, historian Kevin Kruse, critic Sean Burns, writer/director and actor Noah Seegan, writer Alexandra West, critic Jordan Hoffman, media superstar Soraya Nadia McDonald, critic Katie Rife, author Scott Drebit, and director of photography Bradford Young with what might be the movie that has impacted me the most across the entire series. Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As you MUST know by now we are retiring A Very Good Year after 2 very good years of the show and over 100 episodes (if you count the bonuses, and why not?). There will be an all new show starting in 2025 with an incredible guest list, tons of great movies, and a bunch of new bonus features available.But before we do that we're looking back on A Very Good Year with some highlight shows. This week it's the 1960s with director Alexandre Phillipe, writer Larry Karaszewski, authors Stephen Farber and Michael McLellan, MST3k's Frank Conniff, TV host and historian Ben Mankiewicz, critic Robert Daniels, professor Charles Taylor, author Mark Harris, programmer Millie de Chirico, critic David Fear, and author Willow Catelyn Maclay.Thank you for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In what has become an annual tradition, we welcome back our good friend, New York Times film critic Alissa Wilkinson, to look back at the movie year we just finished — without the benefit of hindsight! Hear Alissa and Mike geek out about “Eno,” our conversation on the first-person camera of “Nickel Boys,” everyone falling for “Anora,” and more.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After 2 years and 100 episodes we're retiring A Very Good Year and coming back in 2025 with a whole new show. In the meantime we're looking back at some of our favorite guests and favorite movies, by decade.In this episode we're looking at a decade that some people consider a dead zone: the 1950s. As you'll hear it was a great decade for movies. Ever heard of a guy named Hitchcock? I rest my case.Featuring the talents of Sheila O'Malley, Glenn Kenny, James Urbaniak, Beatrice Loayza, Aisha Harris, and one of the best to ever do it, Mr. Phillip Lopate.Thank you for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After two years and 100 episodes we're taking a look back at A Very Good Year with highlights from some of our favorite guests. In this episode we're going way back to the 1940s, we're getting into some of the classics and a few pictures that might not be on your radar.This episode features Stephanie Crawford, Jill Blake, Stephanie Zacharek, April Wolfe, Raquel Stetcher and recent Pulitzer Prize winner Justin Chang.Thank you for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello, and welcome to the wrap party.After two years and 100 episodes we're taking a look back at A Very Good Year with highlights from some of our favorite guests. In this episode we're going way back to the 20s & 30s, we're getting into silents, talkies, and the transition. We cover the big names everyone knows and get into some hidden gems that have been buried deep in the vault. "He Who Gets Slapped", anyone? This episode features our very first guest, Alex Winter, and a murderers row of great film minds including Dana Stevens, Sarah Bea Milner, Megan Abbott, Jessica Pickens, Monica Castillo, Marya Gates, Catherine Stebbins and the king, Leonard Maltin.Thank you for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mac Welch is an actor, cartoonist, filmmaker, and podcaster, but more importantly, he’s been friends with Jason and Mike nearly as long as they’ve been friends with each other. Join us as we talk about the movies we all saw together in 2000, AND ALSO where we’ll be taking the show as we reformat for our next season. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author, historian, and professor Kevin M. Kruse joins us to walk through the very eventful year — historically and cinematically — of 1974, including the take-no-prisoners energy of “Foxy Brown,” the grimy perfection of “The Taking of Pelham 123,” and a double-barreled shotgun blast of Mel Brooks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Film and television critic, author, and essayist Kristen Lopez joins us to discuss her book “But Have You Read the Book,” the TWO books she’s working on next, and the movies of 1996, from the teen-girl dream of ‘Romeo + Juliet” to the drive-in pleasures of “From Dusk Till Dawn” to the hilarity of “The Birdcage.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Screenwriter (“Heathers,” “Demolition Man,” “Batman Returns”) and encyclopedic cinephile Daniel Waters joins us to discuss 2008—a key year for him as a filmmaker and film lover, thanks to the likes of “Synecdoche, New York,” “Love Exposure,” and “The Dark Knight.”  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Catherine Stebbins is intimately acquainted with the year of 1930 - because it was the subject of the most recent of her year-by-year movie ‘zines, which makes her an ideal (and overdue) guest. Join us as she discusses the nutty “King of Jazz,” the heartbreaking “City Girl,” the sublime “People on Sunday,” and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Abby Olcese’s new book “Films for All Seasons” walks the reader through “the church year at the movies,” finding unexpected movies to tie in to the liturgical calendar; she joins us to explore the calendar year of 2018, including “Bad Times at the El Royale,” “First Reformed,” and “Eighth Grade.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Film critic, editor, and intrepid festival traveler Beatrice Loayza joins us for another probing look into the oft-dismissed 1950s—this time 1958, as we look at a Hitchcock classic (“Vertigo”), a pre-New Wave banger (“Elevator to the Gallows”), a hard-hitting social drama (“The Defiant Ones”), and more.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Charles Taylor is the author of one of our fave film books, “Opening Wednesday at a Theater or Drive-In Near You,” so he joins us to discuss the “hinge year” of 1966, which included late films from old masters (“El Dorado”), manifestos from provocateurs (“Masculine-Feminine”), and electric shocks from cinematic wild men (“Tokyo Drifter”). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Screenwriter (and former film critic and podcaster) April Wolfe joins us to talk up the postwar pleasures of 1947, so bring your nun’s habits (“Black Narcissus”), femme fatales (“Out of the Past”) and questionable Irish accents (“The Lady from Shanghai”). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TV critic, author, podcaster, and television writer Emily St. James is the co-author (along with previous guest Noel Murray) of the book “LOST: Back to the Island” (out Tuesday), so she joins us to geek out with Mike over that show and discuss the unusual offerings of the very odd year of 2020, including “Wolfwalkers,” “Da 5 Bloods,” and “The Empty Man.”  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 “Empire” magazine editor Nick de Semlyen’s most recent book, “The Last Action Heroes,” is a delightful history of ‘80s and ‘90s action cinema, so he joins us to discuss 1993, from the blistering action of “Demolition Man” to the action satire of “Hot Shots! Part Deux” to the pointed inaction of “The Remains of the Day.”  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author, filmmaker, and “Gaslit Nation” host Andrea Chalupa joins us to discuss 1984—an appropriate year for an Orwell scholar—in advance of the release of her new graphic novel “In the Shadow of Stalin.” Listen in as she gives much love to “Amadeus,” “Once Upon a Time in America,” and, of course, “1984.”  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Film historian, podcaster, and Cine Journeys co-founder Jill Blake joins us to walk through the post-war euphoria and darkness of 1945, including “I Know Where I’m Going,” “Brief Encounter,” and “Leave Her to Heaven.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Independent filmmaker Zach Clark joins us in advance of the release of his new film “The Becomers” for a look at some of the most delightfully insane movies of 1972, including the stylized mayhem of “Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion,” the melodrama of “The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant,” and the total decadence of “Pink Flamingos.”  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Film critic and podcaster Josh Lewis explores the “sleaze canon” on his “Sleazoids” podcast, and he joins us to discuss the very sleazy year of 1981, from the gore of “The Beyond” to the paranoia of “Blow Out” to the surprising depth of “MS. 45.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Film critic and podcaster Stephanie Crawford usually dabbles in horror and exploitation cinema, but she is also obsessed with screwball comedy — so she joins us to discuss 1940, a banner year for the subgenre, thanks to “His Girl Friday,” “The Philadelphia Story,” and “Christmas in July.”  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Film critic and author Chris Nashawaty’s latest book is “The Future Was Now: Madmen, Mavericks, and the Epic Sci-Fi Summer of 1982,” so you’ll never guess what year he joins us to talk about! Hear us wax rhapsodic about the thrills of “Blade Runner,” the chills of “The Thing,” the Catholic guilt of “The Verdict,” and much more.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Film critic and O.G. AV Club member Noel Murray does not usually suffer from recency bias, but he thought it would be fun to glance back just five years to 2019, which gave us the hang-out pleasures of “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” the stinging commentary of “Parasite,” and the shocks and thrills of “Us.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we’re joined by the other co-author of the must-read new book “Corpses, Fools and Monsters: The History and Future of Transness in Cinema”; film critic Caden Mark Gardner discusses the cinema of 1995, including such now-classics as “Safe,” “Heat,” and “Devil in a Blue Dress.”  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Corpses, Fools and Monsters: The History and Future of Transness in Cinema” (out Tuesday) is one of our favorite film books of the year, and we’re welcoming both of its authors as consecutive guests. This week, film critic Willow Catelyn Maclay joins us to talk about the movies of 1969, from the ahead-of-its-time freedom of “Funeral Parade of Roses” to the Gotham grime of “Midnight Cowboy” to the delightful silliness of “Gamera vs Guiron.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The essayist, poet, and film critic Phillip Lopate joins us to discuss his new collection “My Affair with Art House Cinema” and the cinema of 1959, in which one series began with “The 400 Blows,” one series ended with “The World of Apu,” and Otto Preminger hit the courtroom in “Anatomy of a Murder.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nobody we know knows more about silent cinema than film critic, historian, and social media mastermind Marya E. Gates. She joins us to talk about movies from literally a century ago, from the brilliance of “Sherlock Jr.” to the sexiness of “Forbidden Paradise” to the surrealism of “Ballet Mécanique.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Larry Karaszewski isn’t just an award-winning screenwriter and producer — he’s also a serious cinephile, as evidenced by the fact that we asked him for a top five for the year of his birth, 1961, and he came back with six double-features. We talk about them all on this super-sized episode, with inspired pairings of American independents, Natalie Wood vehicles, Marcello Mastroianni classics, and more.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Harris has written three of the essential film books of our time, and one of them — “Pictures at a Revolution” — tells the story of Hollywood in flux by detailing the making of the five nominees for best picture of 1967. So he joins us to talk about that year, from the groundbreaking “The Graduate” to the nose-thumbing of “Bonnie & Clyde” to the sheer craft of “In the Heat of the Night.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Writer, editor, and director Carrie Courogen is the author of the breathtakingly good new book “Miss May Does Not Exist,” and since it’s a biography of Elaine May, she joins us to talk about 1987 — not only May’s unjustly maligned “Ishtar,” but the sheer perfection of “Broadcast News” and “Moonstruck.”  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Film critic, historian, and TCM stalwart Ben Mankiewicz joins us, on the eve of a new season of his essential podcast “The Plot Thickens” to discuss the nuclear meltdowns of “Fail-Safe,” the political paranoia of “Seven Days in May,” the complex delights of “Marriage, Italian Style,” and more of the movies of 1964. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Film critic, podcaster, and historian Alexandra West joins us to talk about her new book “Gore-Geous: Personal Essays on Beauty and Horror” and the movies of 1976, from the bloodbaths of “Carrie” and “Taxi Driver” to the erotic power plays of “In the Realm of the Senses.”  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Screenwriter and director Richard Shepard’s new film is catnip to us (and probably you too, if you’re listening to his show): “Film Geek,” an essay film about growing up as a movie-crazy kid in NYC in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. He joins us to talk about 1983, including Scorsese’s “King of Comedy,” Fosse’s “STAR 80,” and Forsyth’s “Local Hero.”  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Critic, podcaster, and author Alonso Duralde was just beginning his professional life in 1991, and witnessed the early pangs of what became known as the New Queer Cinema, a key point in his new book “Hollywood Pride: A Celebration of LGBTQ+ Representation and Perseverance in Film.” He joins us to talk about that moment, including the delights of “Madonna: Truth or Dare,” the coding of “Thelma & Louise,” and the genuine transgressiveness of “Poison.”  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Glenn Kenny is the author of the new book “The World Is Yours: The Story of ‘Scarface,’ and is one of our favorite film critics and scholars in general. He’s here to talk about the mighty 1954, a less-discussed year that gave us everything from “The Seven Samurai” to “Rear Window” to “The Creature from the Black Lagoon.”  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Indiewire’s Kate Erbland was a literal child in the year 1990, but she luckily had parent who put very few viewing boundaries on her, which was how she ended up seeing “Die Hard 2,” “Ghost,” and one of her all-time favorite movies, “Pretty Woman.” She joins us to talk about those and MANY more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Film critic and journalist Tomris Laffly was just starting to figure out who she was as a filmgoer in 1997, so she joins us to share some of her favorite memories of that year: the heartache of “Good Will Hunting,” the dark humor of “The Ice Storm,” and the majesty of “Titanic.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In advance of Friday’s theatrical debut of his Sundance hit “Stress Positions,” comedian, actor, writer, and cinephile John Early joins us to discuss all things 2002, from the earnestness of “Crossroads” to the sexiness of “Unfaithful” to the status of his Toni Collette website.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Filmmaker, actor, TV writer, and film critic Siddhant Adlakha was in a moment of transition in 2013, and vowed to see as many new movies as possible for the sake of career clarity. He walks us through some of those discoveries, from the spectacle of “Ram-Leela” to the melancholy of “Inside Llewyn Davis” to the intimacy of “Short Term 12.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Daily Dead columnist Scott Drebit’s new book is “A Cut Below: A Celebration of B Horror Movies, 1950s-1980s,” so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that he picked 1979, a banner year for horror. He joins us to discuss the working-class scares of “Alien,” the insanity of “Zombie,” the inexplicable PG rating of “Tourist Trap,” and more.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Variety” TV critic Alison Herman had just moved to Los Angeles in the year of our lord 2017, and she joins us to recall, with fondness, the cockeyed comedy of “Phantom Thread,” the deft commentary of “Get Out,” and the totally not-divisive pleasures of “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s a special MID-WEEK EPISODE, in honor of Friday’s release of acclaimed director Bob Byington’s latest, “Lousy Carter.” Join us as we talk with Bob about the current indie landscape and the films of 1994, from the art of “Red” to the commerce of “Speed” to the pleasures of “The Hudsucker Proxy.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For show number two from SXSW, we’re joined by the prolific film critic and RogerEbert.com Associate Editor Robert Daniels. He sings the praises of 1965, from the devastation of “The Pawnbroker” to the thrills of “Flight of the Phoenix” to the sweep of “Doctor Zhivago.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Back at SXSW, we’re joined by Austin’s own Jacob Knight, co-host of the “Secret Handshake” podcast, and lover of great movies and great trash. 1989 offered plenty of both, from the power of “The Abyss” to the inanity of “Jason Takes Manhattan” to the coke-dusted earnestness of “Road House.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.